Orthodontic procedures typically involve repositioning a patient's teeth to a desired arrangement in order to correct malocclusions and/or improve aesthetics. To achieve these objectives, orthodontic appliances such as braces, shell aligners, and the like can be applied to the patient's teeth by an orthodontic practitioner. The appliance can be configured to exert force on one or more teeth in order to effect desired tooth movements according to a treatment plan.
During orthodontic treatment with patient-removable appliances, the practitioner may rely on the patient to comply with the prescribed appliance usage. In some instances, a patient may not wear the orthodontic appliance as prescribed by the practitioner. Extended removal of the appliance, for any reason beyond what is recommended, may interrupt the treatment plan and lengthen the overall period of treatment. There is a need for methods and apparatuses that allow monitoring of the wearing and/or effects of intraoral appliances. Described herein are methods and apparatuses for performing such monitoring.
Obstructive sleep apnea (hereinafter “OSA”) is a medical condition characterized by complete or partial blockage of the upper airway during sleep. The obstruction may be related to relaxation of soft tissues and muscles in or around the throat (e.g., the soft palate, back of the tongue, tonsils, uvula, and pharynx) during sleep. OSA episodes may occur multiple times per night and disrupt the patient's sleep cycle. Suffers of chronic OSA may experience sleep deprivation, excessive daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue, headaches, snoring, and hypoxia.
Prior methods and apparatus for monitoring physiological characteristics of patients with conditions such as sleep disordered breathing can be less than ideal in at least some respects. It would be desirable to provide systems for monitoring physiological characteristics without requiring sensors placed outside of the intraoral cavity. For example, instead of sensors on the body of a patient, implanted within the patient, or disposed within the mouth but connected to external apparatus, it is preferred to have sensors that operate autonomously within the intraoral cavity of the patient. It would be helpful to provide intraoral appliances comprising embedded intraoral sensors, allowing autonomous monitoring of physiological characteristics of patients, thereby providing data useful in the diagnosis of sleep disorders and other oral- and airway-related disorders.